N.C. American Legion state tournament shaping up a week before it starts

By Richard Walker

Published: Thursday, July 17, 2014 at 11:45 AM.

LEXINGTON – One week before the 2014 North Carolina American Legion baseball state tournament is set to begin, four of the eight teams in the field have been determined.

Locally, the first-time participant Gaston Braves and perennial power Shelby will represent Area IV in the July 25-29 tournament that will be held in Lexington.

Other teams that have clinched berths in the double-elimination tournament are tourney host Davidson County of Area III and Area I West champion Garner.

The Braves, jointly sponsored by Belmont Post 144 and Stanley Post 266, won’t know when they’ll make their state tournament debut until the end of the best-of-three Area IV championship series with Shelby that begins Saturday at 7 p.m. at South Point High School.

The winner of the Braves-Shelby series will play the tournament opener at 9:30 a.m. against the Area II runner-up, while the loser of the Braves-Shelby series plays at 12:30 p.m. against the Area II champion.

The Braves will take a 24-1 overall record and a Gaston County-record 24-game winning streak into their area championship series against Shelby, which will counter with a 36-1 overall record and Area IV-record 31-game winning streak.

Shelby will be making its seventh appearance in the 15-year history of the state tournament. Post 82 won the 2001 tournament in Garner.

The Area II participants have yet to be determined as controversy and rain have dominated play in that area this week.

East Division regular season champion and defending state champion Wilmington (23-6) entered Thursday with a two games to one lead in its best-of-five semifinal series against Whiteville (11-16) that has been twice postponed by rain.

In the other semifinal, West Division regular season champion Hope Mills (16-3) had to forfeit its 2-0 lead in a best-of-five semifinal series against Morehead City due to a player not being placed on its official roster. Morehead City (14-7) was going after the series clincher on Thursday night in a series that’s also been twice postponed by rain.

Host Davidson County (15-12) will be in the state tournament after a long layoff as it dropped its Area III opening round series three games to none to Kernersville. Davidson County will meet the Area I champion in a 7:30 p.m. game.

Garner (24-5) can become that opponent if it can win a best-of-three Area I championship series slated to begin on Saturday. Garner’s opponent will be the Area I East champion; Wayne County (15-6-1) led Pitt County two games to one in their best-of-five series entering Thursday.

The final tournament berth will go to the Area III champion; Winston-Salem (17-11) and High Point (23-6) began a best-of-five series for that area title on Friday.

The winner of the N.C. state tournament advances to the Southeast Regional in Asheboro Aug. 7-11 with that winner advancing to the Legion World Series Aug. 14-19 at Shelby’s Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium.

You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22

LEXINGTON – One week before the 2014 North Carolina American Legion baseball state tournament is set to begin, four of the eight teams in the field have been determined.

Locally, the first-time participant Gaston Braves and perennial power Shelby will represent Area IV in the July 25-29 tournament that will be held in Lexington.

Other teams that have clinched berths in the double-elimination tournament are tourney host Davidson County of Area III and Area I West champion Garner.

The Braves, jointly sponsored by Belmont Post 144 and Stanley Post 266, won’t know when they’ll make their state tournament debut until the end of the best-of-three Area IV championship series with Shelby that begins Saturday at 7 p.m. at South Point High School.

The winner of the Braves-Shelby series will play the tournament opener at 9:30 a.m. against the Area II runner-up, while the loser of the Braves-Shelby series plays at 12:30 p.m. against the Area II champion.

The Braves will take a 24-1 overall record and a Gaston County-record 24-game winning streak into their area championship series against Shelby, which will counter with a 36-1 overall record and Area IV-record 31-game winning streak.

Shelby will be making its seventh appearance in the 15-year history of the state tournament. Post 82 won the 2001 tournament in Garner.

The Area II participants have yet to be determined as controversy and rain have dominated play in that area this week.

East Division regular season champion and defending state champion Wilmington (23-6) entered Thursday with a two games to one lead in its best-of-five semifinal series against Whiteville (11-16) that has been twice postponed by rain.

In the other semifinal, West Division regular season champion Hope Mills (16-3) had to forfeit its 2-0 lead in a best-of-five semifinal series against Morehead City due to a player not being placed on its official roster. Morehead City (14-7) was going after the series clincher on Thursday night in a series that’s also been twice postponed by rain.

Host Davidson County (15-12) will be in the state tournament after a long layoff as it dropped its Area III opening round series three games to none to Kernersville. Davidson County will meet the Area I champion in a 7:30 p.m. game.

Garner (24-5) can become that opponent if it can win a best-of-three Area I championship series slated to begin on Saturday. Garner’s opponent will be the Area I East champion; Wayne County (15-6-1) led Pitt County two games to one in their best-of-five series entering Thursday.

The final tournament berth will go to the Area III champion; Winston-Salem (17-11) and High Point (23-6) began a best-of-five series for that area title on Friday.

The winner of the N.C. state tournament advances to the Southeast Regional in Asheboro Aug. 7-11 with that winner advancing to the Legion World Series Aug. 14-19 at Shelby’s Veterans Field at Keeter Stadium.

You can reach Richard Walker at 704-869-1841 or by twitter.com/JRWalk22